Week of Spring :: Monday

Well, that wasn't what I was expecting - I guess I forgot to consult the weather before I made all those grand plans for planting. There was none of that, only a lot of spring rain and spring fevers (literally). Instead though, it was a nice (minus the fevers), cozy, lazy, rainy spring weekend spent inside watching the outside turn green before our eyes.

A weekend full of scouring for the last bits of the year's wood supply, and then huddling by the wood stove; lots of reading, play dough, and knitting; a lot of Leonard Cohen (I can't help myself when it rains, thankfully my loves oblige); and day-long grazing on WHO Bread, tea, and rice pudding. Ah...a wonderful and momentary pause before the busy work of spring. On Sunday night, I was reminded of this beautiful poem by Mary Oliver. And on Monday morning, we saw what the rain had done. Oh, Spring. Imagine the long and wondrous journeys still to be ours.

Last Night the Rain Spoke to Me

Last night
the rain
spoke to me
slowly, saying,

what joy
to come falling
out of the brisk cloud,
to be happy again

in a new way
on the earth!
That's what it said
as it dropped,

smelling of iron,
and vanished
like a dream of the ocean
into the branches

and the grass below.
Then it was over.
The sky cleared.
I was standing

under a tree.
The tree was a tree
with happy leaves,
and I was myself,

and there were stars in the sky
that were also themselves
at the moment
at which moment

my right hand
was holding my left hand
which was holding the tree
which was filled with stars

and the soft rain -
imagine! imagine!
the long and wondrous journeys
still to be ours.

-Mary Oliver, from What Do We Know

Comments

[Carol]

Wonderful photo's :-) Is that a ladybird that I see on one of the branches? If it is, my goodness, that IS a big ladybird. The ones in the UK are very small.

[Lauren]

So interesting.... Two weeks ago the same thing happened to us. We were all geared up to start our outside spring time work of turning over the garden and planting and we were all stuck inside with yucky fevers. I guess it takes about that long for viruses and more sun to travel from PA to ME. We've got full blown leaves now, and I see you guys are just starting. Lovely way to stay positive even when fevers slip in. I'll try to remember next time.

[emily]

oh, thank you! for sharing that wonderful poem. a glorious way to start the day.

[elliebelle]

Wow - stunning photography! The life you live with your family seems like utopia. Thanks for sharing!

[annette]

I love that poem... gets me choked up even!

[Alison]

Up here in NW Canada, we're doing the same. Warm days, cool days, rainy days, sunny days, but always cool nights and mornings. Stoke up the fire and huddle around til the sun warms things up. Oh spring, I do love it so.

[Julie Alvarez]

It sounds like a cozy sweet weekend I could use to spend...
I am entering the winter now... Happy spring, though!

[melody]

Wow- great poem. And as always your pictures are so simple and gorgeous... Thanks for helping me re-frame my morning.

[Suzanne]

Hope your all feeling better:-) Lovely poem and photos--I am playing along with you this week for a week of Spring photos but today I only got one up...LOL!

[melody]

Wow- great poem. And as always your pictures are so simple and gorgeous... Thanks for helping me re-frame my morning.

[suz]

o dear soulemama - I thank you for that little bit of a 'soule-quench' as well! Ah such a time of possibility! have a lovely day...Suz

[Wendy]

Hummm, I think I wish we lived in a place that had more rain. In Colorado, we've alternated between 80 degree days and snow. Rain would be nice.

Lovely photos, as usual.

[Anne]

Thank you for sharing the lovely poem. You will get out there soon for planting!

[Amy]

I love Leonard Cohen! Especially, "Famous Blue Raincoat." That song puts me in a mood that fits perfectly w/a rainy day. Damien Rice is also good rainy day music. Thanks for sharing your world w/us Amanda! :)

[amy]

love Mary- "Wild Geese" is my fave.

[Caryn]

How wonderful! The world needs more Leonard-Cohen-Mary-Oliver-loving-break-baking-mamas!I feel I am in good company.

[Missy k]

That new header is gorgeous!

[mel]

love the new blog header! i was just thinking to myself on saturday as i looked up at the sky, how much i like those two colors together: spring green and sky blue!

[Berlinswhimsy]

Wonderful photos and poem! I have had this same thing happen when I have a weekend all planned out----but there are always happy surprises to be found in the changes, though...

[kendra]

Happy Spring. Even though we had a warm sunny weekend, I wish we had your rain and cooler weather. We have so much dry, hot weather ahead of us that I enjoy spring rains.

[Paige]

What a lovely poem - thanks for sharing that. I really, really needed that this a.m. This week I'm hoping to start planting...finally! I hope the same for you, too.

[Stephanie]

Thank you for sharing! Your pictures are really beautiful - isn't new life amazing? I've discovered many new things through your blog such as music, books for our learning journey, wonderful ways to nurture our family and yummy food! Can you share how you find all your music? I never seem to find anything I like, but I've enjoyed your selections very much. Really liking Calvin's choice of Coconut Records this AM! Thanks Calvin :)

[Mandy]

That poem is wonderful! We have had good rain this year, which seems like a miracle after such a drought in our part of the world last year. Glorious rain!

[Anna]

Happy Spring! You guys look so cozy.
We had beautiful weather yesterday in Western Washington. You can check out my blog for some Spring pictures.

[Lindsey]

Thank you for sharing that beautiful poem. It has such wonderful imagery.

[kristena]

Beautiful poem and beautiful pictures. I hope things brighten up in your neck of the woods soon!

[Heather in Washington State, USA]

Spring has arrived in our area, too!

Take a peek:

http://kandas-adventures.typepad.com/kandas_adventures/

Thanks for the inspiration to document this.

[Carrie]

What a lovely little poem to go with your poetic pictures and your gift for writing...

[Amanda]

Good to hear a new, refreshing perspective on the spring rains. We live near Portland, Oregon and have SO MUCH RAIN this time of year. We have many different names for rain here: sprinkle, drizzle, mist, shower. I think we're trying to keep ourselves motivated until the next sun break. "Well, it's just a slight drizzle today." January through April is pretty famous for continuous grey skies. But it's beautifully green here too and our gardens flourish! Thanks for the reminder.

[zannestar]

oh, I planted anyway. I just couldn't take it. I had my hat and scarf on. I planted the cold stuff, lettuces, peas and such. Up high in the hills of Western Mass the leaves are just barely pushing out as we too scavenge for wood for our stove these cool and rainy days. *sigh* At least the birds are singing, oh and the black flies are biting on warmer afternoons!

[Tracey]

Spring is a miracle.

Here is one of my favorite Mary Oliver poems.

Praying

It doesn't have to be
the blue iris, it could be
weeds in a vacant lot, or a few
small stones; just
pay attention, then patch

a few words together and don't try
to make them elaborate, this isn't
a contest but the doorway

into thanks, and a silence in which
another voice may speak.

[Christina]

I love new spring birth!
Hope the sun comes out for you once again...even though the rain is a beautiful thing.

[Melissa]

So lovely. If you don't mind my asking....what kind of camera do you use? Your photos are so beautiful. Oh, and thank you, I am purchasing the elves & angels kitchen you recommended (not your exact one, unfortunately, they diconinuted that model) for my daughter.

[Ellen]

What a beautiful poem and photos! Spring is also teasing us here in Wisconsin. It's such a wonderful time of year - full of anticipation as we await new life and the days of summer. Enjoy!

[kosenrufu mama]

wow your pictures are always amazing!!!!

[jess]

i just posted a mary oliver yesterday as well. her words bring spring deep within my bones. thank you for sharing her words and your pictures with us!

[Sarah]

I bought your book yesterday and WOW! It's amazing. My DH even likes it and has flipped through it a little. Thank you so much for sharing all your creative ideas with all of us.

[A. L. Travis]

Loved the book - what's WHO bread?

[Péitseoga]

yum, porridge...

[Terra Reeves]

I so love the picture of the lady bug on the branch. One of my favorite things about spring are the wonderful lady bugs we find in the garden. Thank you so much for sharing the wonerful poem also.

[Geertrude]

I was going to join your week of spring, but forgot I had some (assisting in) baking to do, we have a double 17th birthday tomorrow (in fact today, since it's after midnight here). Oh well, springflowers have made their way into my daily pictures often and will do later this week.
Love your pictures, both the cozy inside and the budding outside ones!

[SOULEMAMA]

*************************

Melissa -
I shoot with a Nikon D80, and sometimes a Nikon D50. There's a bit more about the camera and lenses I use in my FAQ's here:
http://soulemama.typepad.com/soulemama/faq.html

A.L. Travis -
WHO Bread:
http://soulemama.typepad.com/soulemama/2008/02/who-bread.html

--amanda

************************************

[Ansley]

wow amanda!
I love the last few pictures that you took...really stunning!

[heather]

Oh! Now I have to go dig out my book of poems by Mary Oliver... I have not looked at it in several years now. It is my day of birth and every thing here is green, but so dry already. We're planting tomatoes, squash, peppers, basil, cukes... and maybe some beans this week. North Carolina is greedy for your rain while you dream of warmer days... the grass on the other side of the fence, huh?

[moey]

Hello dear Amanda! I've been lurking on your blog (I do hate that word, I'm going to think of a better one someday) -- anyhow, I just wanted to tell you that I got my lucky hands on your book today, and just skimming through it (having 4+ homeschooled children/babies of my own), it looks absolutely delicious and I'm eagerly anticipating a few uninterrupted hours to devour it properly. Thank you! Back to lurking (or whatever). -- moey

[Madeline Rains]

I love Leonard Cohen too as well as Mary Oliver. I had never read that poem though and it is perfect to read to my seven year old who has become afraid of rain. Horrifying, I know. I hope the poem helps. It is beautiful.

[kerri]

We escaped this weekend and returned to find our front lawn was covered in snow!

rain and bread sounds pretty sweet.

[Samantha in AZ]

Living in AZ most of my life, I don't know what season are so I have to live vicariously through others who have seasons. Your pictures are gorgeous and that poem just about made me cry. I was so moved. What are great piece of work. Enjoy Spring!

[Deborah]

I have some very similar leaf pictures that I have been taking over the past few weeks. Isn't it amazing how they grow so quickly!

[Lauren Hawley]

Such a gorgeous poem. So relatable. I love your spring pictures. I just did a similiar post about spring in my backyard...yes even in L.A. spring is busting out all over. Nests of birds and their parents attacking my dogs! But also a beautiful hummingbird caught in mid-flight.